Tonight I had the privilege of seeing the Watoto Children’s Choir on their ‘Signs and Wonders’ tour, performing at Grimethorpe Pentecostal Church. The choir is part of Watoto Church in Uganda which seeks to help the vulnerable and orphaned and is a shining testimony of the transforming power of the Gospel. The children are sponsored in a similar fashion to Bedline with Compassion, with sponsorship providing education, health care and Bible teaching, and the children sang with gusto of their hope and love found in Jesus Christ.
In addition, they gave testimonies of the work God has done in their lives and videos were shown of the work being done in Uganda through this church. The Watoto Model is designed to provide vulnerable women and children in Africa with holistic care and to impact communities in the process. The model involves physical care, medical intervention including HIV/AIDS treatment, education – formal and vocational, counselling and emotional well being as well as moral and spiritual discipleship. Currently Watoto has projects in Kampala and Gulu, Uganda; and Juba, South Sudan.
It’s great to get a glimpse of the ‘bigger picture’ of what God is doing in the wider world and it’s also good to acknowledge the profound difference a little help can give children.